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Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times

Katherine Sullivan sits down with domestic violence prevention leaders in Rockport on July 11, 2018. She's visiting several areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey to discuss the storms affect on victims of domestic violence and programs that serve them.(Photo: Eleanor Dearman)

Sullivan said she plans to meet with service providers along with law enforcement and representatives from district attorneys' offices to examine the challenges related to Harvey, how they were overcome and what can be done better in the future.

"And to make sure, of course, that the victims are being served," she told reporters after the meeting's conclusion.

Sullivan said it's important to look and see if there's an increase in victimization following a natural disaster and to create strategies for assistance.

"There's economic vulnerability, there's housing vulnerability, there may be vocational vulnerability,' she said. "There's a lot of tension there, and that certainly can create higher incidences of domestic violence."

Sullivan met with the nonprofit's president and CEO Frances Wilson as well as Gloria Terry, CEO of the Texas Council on Family Violence and Rose Luna, executive director of the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, among others in Rockport.

During the meeting, the storm's impact on Rockport, its courthouse and the criminal justice system there were discussed.

Wilson explained that The Purple Door, previously named the Women's Shelter of South Texas, had to evacuate 72 people — 37 of whom were children — for Harvey. They were taken to domestic violence shelters in New Braunfels, San Marcos, Longview and Abilene, she said.

"It's important to have this conversation because we can look back to see what worked, what went right, but were there things we could have done differently or the plans we can lay for this hurricane season," Wilson told the Caller-Times.

Frances Wilson, CEO and President of the Purple Door, speaks at a meeting with Katharine Sullivan, acting director of the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women on July 11, 2018. Sullivan is visiting several areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey to discuss the storm's effect on victims of domestic violence.(Photo: Eleanor Dearman)

"We talk to clients as they come into our shelter to find out, if we had a hurricane, where would you go? Would you need us to relocate you?" Wilson said. "Because those safety concerns they have don't end just because a hurricane is coming."

Terry, CEO of the Texas Council on Family Violence, said it's "critical" for the federal government to know the impact of Harvey on family violence programs.

For instance, she said with people losing their homes, individuals may have to stay in shelters longer or they may be staying in harmful relationships because "there's frankly no place else to go."

Terry said the group is planning to create a report based on information learned from the trip to present to the Legislature.